Hope for the Damned
by Kikoughela
Summary: Nienna gives Maglor son of Feanor hope for his future.
1. Default Chapter

Author Email: Ancelstierre@hotmail.com  
  
Warnings: None.  
  
Characters: Maglor, Nienna  
  
Disclaimer: The characters and languages used in this work are the property of J.R.R. Tolkien. No money is being made, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
  
Summary: Nienna gives Maglor son of Feanor hope for his future.  
  
Other notes: This is a Silmarillion-based fanfiction. I first started this story months ago, and have only now had time to complete it. All dialogue is in Quenya.  
  
Hope for the Damned  
  
~ Part One ~  
  
The tide ran high in the morning's mist, dawn scarcely breaking over the horizon as the gulls made their way along the surface, diving for bits of food among the foaming waves. The wind was a whetted knife that chilled the sea air but did not arouse the dampened sand from its resting place.  
  
Along the shell-sprinkled, cloudy beach wandered a lone creature, an elf, dark of hair and pale of skin. Around him was wrapped a thin shadowy cloak with the hood loosened, allowing his lengthy hair to whip freely in the tumultuous wind. Not fettered by the currents, he walked, back straight, giving sense of his imposing height. Clearly attuned to the sea gulls' crying, he halted in astonishment as a female appeared suddenly before him, unheard and unbidden. Her grey hood rested loosely upon her shoulders and wisps of black hair streaked across her face, free of their tight bindings. It was she who first raised her hand to her heart in greeting, and it was she who spoke first.  
  
"Do not look so shocked, Maglor son of Feanor. Do you know who I am?"  
  
Maglor started, and then murmured, "No, my Lady." He waited in silence.  
  
"I am Nienna of the Valar. Perhaps you do not remember me? It has been many years," she quickly rejoined.  
  
"The Lady of tears." Maglor raised a scarred hand to his heart in respectful acknowledgement. "You are correct, long has it been since I was in the company of my kin."  
  
Slowly, Nienna approached him.  
  
"In the past you sang to me many songs of tribute, do you remember?"  
  
Maglor nodded, haunted by merry words of old that danced tauntingly in his fragile mind.  
  
"Do not tremble, I beg of you," the Vala pleaded. Tears crept to the corners of her obsidian eyes. "I have only come to speak with you."  
  
She brushed away the droplets suspended on her lashes with nimble fingers, and her voice lightened. "How do you fare, dear Maglor, drifting along the coast of the sea?"  
  
"Well enough, Lady Nienna." His dark, unkempt hair fell past his shoulders and obscured his delicate features as he lowered his eyes in resignation. She shook her head in disdain.  
  
"The sea is bountiful; it provides me with what I need." he offered.  
  
"I disagree. To see you now, knowing of your former glory, is heartbreaking. You were once great. Now you are nothing but an elf clothed in rags, a humble vagrant."  
  
"Great? Never was I great, my Lady. Kin-slayer I am, and disgraced I shall remain until the end of the world." His proud shoulders sagged as he surrendered to the age-old grief. "I should have turned back. There was a time when that was possible, but I pressed on. I was loyal to my father and my brothers. Now I am alone, truly alone!"  
  
"You have driven yourself to despair and beyond, into the chasm of -oh-! The Lady's voice failed, her fair cheeks, marred now by tears wept so pitifully for his self-imposed humility, glittered as the grey-dawn broke.  
  
"Do not cry for me, my Lady." Maglor lifted hisimpure hand to cleanse her face, but it lingered in the air, falling to rest again at his side. Her weeping soon ceased.  
  
"I am wont to grieve, for you and your curse both. Why do you torment yourself so? I cannot bear this; I wish for your suffering to end."  
  
"How do you propose I terminate it?" His bitterness, hitherto suppressed, reemerged in his tone with vehement force. "Cast myself into the Void as Maedhros did all those ages ago?" He scowled, his face assuming its accustomed austerity. "Is that how it is to end for me?"  
  
"You are not your brother, my dear Maglor, nor is his fate to be yours." She wiped away the glistening tears that spilt freely from his desolate, haunted eyes. "If you will listen to me, I have a proposition for you." Her cool palm cupped his cheek, and his eyes lifted.  
  
"I am most pleased with you," the Vala began, her pleasant tone settling the distressed elf. "Your continuous ruination and degradation of yourself, however, pains me deeply. I would take you  
  
far from this accursed shore if you would allow me. Come with me to my hall and there you shall reside as my apprentice. I will teach you wisdom for your grief, hope for your suffering. Maglor, again will you learn love for that which your heart holds dear."  
  
"I searched for the amaranth, Lady," he interrupted, voice quavering. Nienna simply raised a finger to his lips, silencing his protests.  
  
"I would take it upon myself to guide you, teach you, present to you the way of gaining pleasure from your woeful life. You shall want nothing; your every desire will be yours to gain."  
  
"O Lady, do not say such!" The elf broke hastily away from her feather- light touch, drawing into himself for a brief respite. Fear sparked new life within him and the crimes of his past nearly  
  
overwhelmed him.  
  
The Vala, fully aware of her indiscretion, again wept sorrowful tears at his reluctance to accept his family's fate.  
  
"If only you could progress from your grief, Maglor," she murmured after a time, tears softened. "Heal yourself, I beg you. Long have you resided by the sea, yet it has not brought relief to your broken heart. I cannot help you unless you help yourself. I will return when you are able to fully comprehend the offer I have placed before you. Farewell, Maglor son of Feanor."  
  
Nienna arose from the sand towards the far horizon, leaving as silently as she had arrived. He stood forsaken upon the lonely shore, gazing after her cloaked form until it melted against the skyline.  
  
~ End Part One ~ 


	2. HftD Part Two

Hope for the Damned  
  
~ Part Two ~  
  
See part one for disclaimers, &c.  
  
The scant remnants of the day's light faded into a colorless twilight and a chill mist fell from the clouds as Maglor stood at the dunes' highest precipice, overlooking the vast stretch of sea. His light hood shielded the fine tendrils of his hair from the creeping damp and sadness reflected in his dark eyes.  
  
"My Lady," he murmured, enchanted by the rolling waves that crashed upon the shore. Walking the grassy path up the dune, Nienna heard his greeting and responded in kind. She came to stand beside him, grey cloak billowing in the wind.  
  
"It has been nearly a year since last we spoke," she commented, dark eyes searching his shaded face.  
  
"Has it really?" Maglor turned to meet her gaze, breath halting at the beauty of her face, for it held the light of Aman. She brought her hand to rest in his, tracing the ill-wrought scars with her fingers. Maglor gasped at the soft touch, resisting her gentle hold.  
  
"Be still!" Nienna brought his hand before her eyes, studying the white, twisted flesh. Maglor relented, brought to shame by the tears that welled and glittered upon her long lashes.  
  
"Grieve not, my Lady."  
  
His hand broke from hers as he lifted it to her face, brushing her soft cheeks free of tears.  
  
"Why me?" he asked, palm lingering under her chin, tilting her face upward into the falling mist.  
  
"I believe you to be capable of repentance. It was I who stood for He who I shall not name."  
  
"And Melkor turned against you, betrayed your trust."  
  
The Vala flinched at naming of the Dark Lord, but Maglor's hold kept her eyes in his.  
  
"Do you not fear that I will do the same as well?"  
  
"I know you will not, dear Maglor, because your suffering has made you wise. You are ready for another chance. Will you come with me this day?"  
  
Maglor drew away, his hands retreating into the folds of his cloak as he turned towards the dwindling clouds, face again hidden from her probing eyes.  
  
"Yes, Lady, come with you I shall," he replied after a long moment. "But I will miss the sea. It has become dear to me."  
  
"I offer you much."  
  
"I know," he said, his gaze falling to rest upon her grey hood. His eyes darkened and grew firm. "Swim with me, my Lady, as I say farewell to the sea that has borne my torment," Maglor said as he offered her his hand. Upon receiving hers, he took her down the steep dune. Guiding her swiftly to the water's lapping edge, he released her cool hand, and began to remove his outer garments.  
  
"Concern yourself not with propriety, Maglor." The elf lifted his eyes to her and found she stood nude before him, her body radiating a silvery luster. He assented and unlaced his breeches, sliding the material over his toned legs to the sand.  
  
"One thing," he said, and reached his hand to her hair, loosening the silver clip that held it bound. Her thick hair danced about her face in the wind as he lay the clasp down upon the soft material of her cloak. Maglor smoothed an errant wisp behind her ear, then beckoned her with eager eyes to the sea's edge.  
  
Nienna sank into the shallow water as Maglor swam out into the sea, skillfully riding the treacherous waves. He dove deeper, entering the dark caverns constructed on the ocean floor. She followed, but soon confusion led her astray and the Vala lost sight of his pale body. A soft touch upon her arm, however, soon guided her through the dim grotto.  
  
Nienna could see him but faintly as he led her around corners and through passageways until he halted. A ray of sunlight filtered through from the surface above, casting its glow upon an immense monolith. Maglor grasped Nienna's hand in his own and slowly ran her palm across the etched surface. Beneath her fingers, she could feel the ages it had taken for the designs to be engraved by the sea. Purity coursed through the stone, patience and endurance as well. In the dark Nienna smiled, her grieving heart lifted by the absolute joy found in such a masterpiece.  
  
Maglor beckoned her to follow. Together they chased the sunbeams that shone through the murky depths as they eased their way slowly to the glimmering surface.  
  
Fine hues of pink, purple, and orange stretched across the heavens, welcoming the couple with an ethereal display of majesty.  
  
"My lady, your gift has freed my soul of its burdens, and for this I shall be eternally grateful."  
  
"O, sweet Maglor." He willingly received her proffered hand and drew her closer. "You will prosper. A bard you were in your glory, and so you shall be again. Fear not, dear one, you are ready." Wrapping her arms around his neck, Nienna rested her head against his chest as the calm swells of the sea carried them to the shore.  
  
~ End Part Two ~  
  
(A/n: Yeh, it's a little sappy there at the end, but never fear...the next chapters redeem the story. And thank you to all who reviewed!!! I'll definitely be considering some of what y'all said for upcoming chapters.) 


	3. HftD Part Three

Hope for the Damned  
  
~ Part three ~  
  
See part one for disclaimers, etc.  
  
A/N: Thank you all for your reviews, and a special thank you to Kit C. I never would have noticed the paragraph problem. It should be corrected now.This chapter is basically a filler.  
  
As the sun sank below the sea's horizon and the stars began to glitter softly in the evening sky, Maglor stood upon the shore and dried himself with his ragged cloak. He dressed in drab, worn garments as the Lady Nienna beheld him with a contemplative eye.  
  
"I will provide you with new clothing. Your rags will not last another year."  
  
The elf straightened and stood fully clothed before her.  
  
"These will do. But, if the Lady insists, then I will comply," he amended. Her resolute stare lessened, and she moved to rebind her hair.  
  
"No, leave it loose," Maglor insisted and his eyes lightened at her sigh of consent. "It is lovely."  
  
Nienna half-smiled and said, "Come, the hour is late and we are expected."  
  
"Are we now?" The elf's eyebrow cocked slightly.  
  
With pursed lips but gentle eyes Nienna drew Maglor to her, cradling him against her breast. Silence reigned as the couple levitated, the chilling gusts spiriting them away through the sky. After a time their path leveled and Maglor was able to gaze about him with incredulous wonder.  
  
A black sky adorned with stars that gleamed with radiance lay before him, above him, and beneath him. He breathed shallow, frosty air in a mist above Nienna's dark tresses, which fluttered about freely in the soft breeze. While kept afloat by the Lady, he reveled in the clarity of thought he possessed. Though his body seemed to blur through time, his mind was alight with new prospects and hope, though he believed this to have forsaken him.  
  
He knew nothing of time; his mind was free of the weight of the ages. The silence soothed him, and soon he felt himself drifting away, consciousness bearing no more consistency than the light breeze that rippled his ragged cloak. The last sensation he felt was the hand of the Lady as she caressed his cheek with her cool fingertips, soothing him to sleep.  
  
~ * ~  
  
After a time unknown to him, Maglor awoke, nude, lying in a bed of soft sheets and plush pillows. The room itself was dark, but outside a single ray of light filtered through the shadows of the corridor. The elf stirred and made to rise from the silken coverings when a chill overtook him and he lay still. On the table beside him, a candle was lit by invisible hands, and then another until Maglor could see about him in the dim light. He sought a robe to ease his discomfort; instead his eyes fell on a partially closed door. It slowly swung on its hinges and Maglor watched as it opened a passage for him that led into darkness. The door to the hallway shut at that moment, depriving his chamber of the celestial light.  
  
Maglor rose from the fine bed and crept across the floor to the closed door as his bare skin shivered from exposure. He tested the polished knob and found it to be locked and without a key. Deprived of the light, he felt a dark sense of foreboding that had been absent from his numb heart for many long years. Maglor again twisted the knob in vain, but the beam in the hall was securely held from him. The soft swish of a hem upon the floor startled him and he whirled around in haste.  
  
"My Lady," he murmured, and bowed his head.  
  
"Good evening, Maglor," she returned. A slight, uncomfortable pause passed between them and then, "Did you sleep well?"  
  
"Yes, my Lady," the elf replied. Again silence permeated the chamber.  
  
"It was my hope," Nienna began, and Maglor lifted his eyes, "that you would bathe, and then dine with me, if the journey has not utterly exhausted you."  
  
"I would be honored."  
  
"Very well then. I shall return for you in a short while." The Lady moved to exit, but Maglor halted her.  
  
"Where is my clothing?"  
  
"Ah, new items will be here when you are ready for them. I trust you do not wash yourself fully clothed?"  
  
"No," he replied, lips beckoned into a faint smile.  
  
"That is good." And without another word Nienna stepped into the shadows and was gone.  
  
Maglor was again alone, and though he held many questions, he bided his time. The smooth sound of pouring water met his ears, halting his thoughts. The aromatic vapors of a hot bath enticed his earthly needs yet he lingered, wary of the mystifying ambience of the chamber. Despite the Lady's words, he remained ill at ease. The intangible light danced still in his mind's eye, haunting him. He reached a hand to the doorknob again, but a cold breath at his back made his muscles tense.  
  
Maglor ceased his exploration and hastened across the marble floor to the haze that came from the darkened room where his bath awaited him. Walking in the mist, he passed through the small corridor and entered an opulent washroom. There he reclined in a black tub and afterwards scented his pale body with a glistening oil that smelled of a deep musk. He tied his dark hair back in a simple braid and upon entering his sleeping chamber he found laid out for him new clothing. His skin reveled in the richness of the material as it fitted loosely on his body. His dark cloak swirled about his boot shod ankles as he turned in self-examination.  
  
"Dressed already?" Nienna stood in the open frame of the locked door, but behind her the hallway was shadowed in darkness.  
  
"Yes," Maglor sighed, eyes searching beyond her fair face with longing.  
  
Nienna silently questioned his despondency.  
  
"Shall we dine?" He extended his arm to her, eyes averted.  
  
"Of course." Pulling lightly, she guided him out the door and down the hall, candles flaring to life ceremoniously as they passed.  
  
~End Part three~ 


End file.
